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Foundation
Where it began - - - - -
The Cork Darts Players`
Association was founded on September 1st., 1997, when a
group of Cork darts players
convened at a city centre hotel to
discuss the state of the sport of darts in Cork.
At the meeting unanimous
dissatisfaction was expressed at the manner in which the sport
of darts was being organised
in the Cork City area and it was decided to form the CDPA to
give all players one voice to express their opinions.
A Steering Committee was elected to
boost membership of the new association and the immediate result
was CDPA members being `barred` from competing in local
competitions. The committee had no alternative but to organise
competitions for it`s members and they staged their first event
on September 22nd., 1997. This was a Singles competition with
fifty entrants.
The winner was Philip Cohen who
defeated John Hadlow in the final.
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Pictured at the first CDPA
competition were Philip Cohen (Winner) with John
Hadlow (Runner-up) on
the right.
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The CDPA held it`s first AGM on
November 11th., 1997, and the following committee was elected:
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Chairman/P.R.O.:
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Michael O`Sullivan.
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Vice-Chairman/Registrar:
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Brian O`Leary
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Treasurer:
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John Harte.
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Hugh
Finerty.
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Committee:
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Ray Leahy, Sean Coughlan and Bernard Conroy.
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The CDPA organised many singles,
doubles and 3-a-side competitions with great success in their
first season. At the start of the 1998/99 season
they founded the Cork City and District Darts League and they
applied for membership of the Cork County Darts
Board. Their application was duly granted
by the Irish National Darts Organisation and Michael O`Sullivan
was elected as County Secretary and Men`s Team
Manager. Brian O`Leary was elected as Ladies` Team Manager.
In conjunction with the other
affiliated leagues the CDPA formulated a plan to raise the
standard of darts in the county by organising county-ranked
events and introducing County Rankings Lists. This plan came to fruition in
February 2001 when the Cork teams won the three events, men,
women and youths, in the Irish Inter-Counties
Championships.
Over the past five seasons the CDPA
has gone from strength to strength with more than four hundred
members and twenty eight teams now competing
in the Cork City and District League in the 2002/03 season.
The CDPA members are heavily
involved with charity work, having raised more than €136,000
through `Darts Aid Charity` for local causes.
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